Closure with integrally formed sealing surface



Dec. 21, 1965 J. HOHL ETAL 3,224,617

CLOSURE WITH INTEGRALLY FORMED SEALING SURFACE Filed Dec. 19, 1962 FIG. 1 FIG. 2

INVENTO JOHN H OH L y JACK "g M/Hi EA: I

AfioRNEYs United States Patent Office 3,224,617 Patented Dec. 21, 1965 3,224,617 CLOSURE WITH INTEGRALLY FORMED SEALING SURFACE John Hohl, Ringgenberg, Switzerland, and Jack M.

Wheaten, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 245,964

3 Claims. (Cl. 215-31) This invention relates generally to the combination of a container and a closure therefor and more particularly to a corner seal linerless closure in combination with a container.

In the packaging of food products in containers which are subsequently sealed by a closure, it has long been customary to provide a separate gasket between the closure and the container to prevent leakage. This gasket, which may be formed of rubber, cork, or some other resilient material, may be positioned on the container just prior to the application of the closure or it may be affixed to the closure at the time of manufacture of the closure. Regardless of what stage of the operation these gaskets are applied, it is quite obvious that their use increases the cost of manufacturing container-closure combinations.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a container-closure combination which will be self-sealing without the necessity of resorting to use of a gasket.

Because of the increased cost resulting from the use of gaskets, the development of an effective sealing linerless closure has long been sought by the container industry. While these developments have met with some success in using plastic closures to seal plastic containers, none has been successful in providing a linerless closure to seal a rigid container, such as one formed from glass.

Accordingly, it is a further object of this invention to provide a linerless closure adapted to etfectively seal a container having a rigid neck portion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container having an annular sealing surface in combination with a closure adapted to engage said sealing surface.

In the forming of glass containers, relatively large tolerances are required in order to maintain high productivity. These tolerances affect both the degree of roundess of the neck portion and the flatness of the circular rim defining the open mouth. Most linerless closures which have been tried to date have utilized the top sealing principle wherein the inside surface of the top of the closure engages the annular rim of the container to effect a seal. However, such top sealing closures have been largely ineffective because the flexibility of this portion of the closure is insufficient to take up the required fiatness tolerances.

Accordingly, it is another object of this invention to provide a closure having an integrally formed sealing ring which will effectively seal containers formed to existing commercial tolerances.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view through a container and cooperating closure and showing the closure in sealing position on the container;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the closure partially removed from the container; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing more recisely the operation of the sealing ring.

In brief, this invention provides a closure in combination with a container having a threaded neck portion near the open end thereof. Between the upper reach of the threaded portion and the top or rim of the container 1s an annular sealing surface. A resilient threaded closure having a top panel portion and an annular skirt depending therefrom engages the threaded neck portion of the container. An integrally formed sealing ring extends inwardly from the skirt in the vicinity of but spaced from the top panel portion so that there is formed an annular groove between the sealing ring and the top panel portion. When the closure is screwed upon the container, the annular sealing ring comes into sealing engagement with the annular sealing surface of the container. By virtue of the fact that the closure is formed from a resilient material and because of the presence of the annular groove between the sealing ring and the top of the closure, the sealing ring is able to take up large tolerances which may exist in the annular sealing surface of the container.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a container ill having a neck portion 12 terminating at its upper end in an annular rim to defining the periphery of an open mouth. The neck 12 is provided with threads 14. Between the upper reach of the threads 14 and the annular rim 15 is an annular sealing surface 18. Although the annular sealing surface 18 as shown in the figures has a concave cross sectional configuration, it should be understood that other configurations including a flat tapered surface or even a slightly convex surface would suffice.

Secured to the container 10 is a closure 20 having a top panel portion 22 which has an annular skirt 24 depending therefrom. On the inner surface of the skirt 24 are formed threads as adopted to engage the threads 14 of the container Iii. integrally formed with the closure 20 is an annular sealing ring 28 positioned above the upper reach of the thread 26 and extending inwardly therefrom. The annular sealing ring 28 is in the vicinity of but spaced from the top portion 22 of the closure and cooperates therewith to define an annular groove 30. This groove 30 is significant in that it provides an area in which the resilient sealing ring 28 maybe forced by the annular sealing surface 18 when the closure 20 is screwed upon the container. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 3 the annular sealing ring has been pushed upwardly from its original position as shown in dotted lines to conform to the annular sealing surface. It is obvious that by virtue of the presence of the annular groove and the resiliency of the closure, the sealing ring 28 will effectively seal the container regardless of any irregularities which may be present on the sealing surface 18.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the closure of the present invention provides an inexpensive means for sealing containers. More important, the seal will be effective even though large tolerances are required in forming such containers. It is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made in the container-closure combination of the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope which is to be limited only by the following claims.

We claim:

1. In combination, a container having a threaded neck portion terminating at its upper end in an annular rim defining the periphery of an open mouth and having sealing surface externally disposed between the annular rim and the upper reach of said threaded portion; and a resilient closure secured to the container comprising a top panel portion having an annular skirt depending from the periphery thereof, the inner surface of said skirt being formed with threads engaged with the threaded neck portion of said container, a horizontally disposed annular sealing ring formed on the inner surface of said skirt between the upper reach of said threads and the top panel portion, said sealing ring and said top panel portion coperating to define an annular groove therebetween.

2. In combination, a container having a neck portion terminating at its upper end in an annular rim defining the periphery of an open mouth, said neck portion having externally disposed threads and an annular sealing surface between the upper reach of said threads and said annular rim, said annular sealing surface having a concave configuration; and a resilient closure secured to said neck portion including a top panel portion having an annular skirt depending therefrom, said skirt having threads on its inner surface adapted to cooperate with the threads of said neck portion and having an integrally formed inwardly extending substantially horizontal annular sealing ring above the upper reach of said threads, said sealing ring having the free end thereof rounded, an annular groove defined on one side by said sealing ring and on the other side by said top panel portion, said sealing ring being in sealing engagement with the annular sealing surface of the container.

3. In combination, a container having a neck portion terminating at its upper end in an annular rim defining the periphery of an open mouth and having an annular sealing surface below and outwardly from said annular rim; a resilient closure secured to said neck portion including a top panel portion, an annular skirt depending from said top panel portion, said skirt having on the inside surface thereof an integrally formed inwardly extending annular sealing ring in the vicinity of said top panel portion, said sealing ring and said top panel portion cooperating to define an annular groove therebetween; and means for securing said closure to said container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,842,429 1/1932 Scofield 215-40 2,078,132 4/1937 Fergusson 215-40 2,445,647 7/1948 Thomas 215-40 3,010,596 11/1961 Williams et a1 215-43 3,011,671 12/1961 Waber 215-40 3,055,526 9/1962 Plunkett 215-43 3,092,281 6/ 1963 Davidson 215-43 FOREIGN PATENTS 202,476 3/1959 Austria. 1,226,696 2/ 1960 France.

304,348 3/ 1955 Switzerland.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE I. DRUMMOND, GEORGE O. RALSTON Examiners. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A CONTAINER HAVING A THREADED NECK PORTION TERMINATING AT ITS UPPER END IN AN ANNULAR RIM DEFINING THE PERIPHERY OF AN OPEN MOUTH AND HAVING SEALING SURFACE EXTERNALLY DISPOSED BETWEEN THE ANNULAR RIM AND THE UPPER REACH OF SAID THREADED PORTION; AND A RESILIENT CLOSURE SECURED TO THE CRONTAINER COMPRISING A TOP PANEL PORTION HAVING AN ANNULAR SKIRT DEPENDING FROM THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SKIRT BEING FORMED WITH THREADS ENGAGED WITH THE THREADED NECK PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED ANNULAR SEALING RING FORMED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SKIRT BETWEEN THE UPPER REACH OF SAID THREADS AND THE TOP PANEL PORTION, SAID SEALING RING AND SAID TOP PANEL PORTION COOPERATING TO DEFINE AN ANNULAR GROOVE THEREBETWEEN. 